Lip fillers are injections that make the lips look plumper and fuller. They’re commonly known as dermal fillers. The lip filler procedure takes about an hour and is minimally invasive. Lip filler can be used to counteract the effects of aging, to add fullness to the lips, and can even change the shape of your lips. However, the treatment is not permanent, and will require periodic injections to maintain the lip fullness created by the filler.
After the procedure, you may have swelling, tenderness, and bruising, but these side effects should be minor. The expert injectors at Kumar Aesthetics Institute use advanced techniques to minimize these symptoms. Lip filler aftercare is fairly simple and easily manageable.
The team of experts at Kumar Aesthetics specializes in cosmetic injections. Dr. Sujay Kumar, a Board-Certified Physician and Empire Medical Trainer, as well as Amy Wildmon, his star pupil, administer our Dermal Filler Injections. He trains other physicians and practitioners on beginner, intermediate, and advanced cosmetic injection procedures. Dr. Kumar uses the latest, most advanced dermal filler techniques in the industry to provide exceptional results and the greatest levels of patient satisfaction.
What You Can Expect
Before your lip filler procedure, you will meet with Dr. Kumar or Amy to discuss your current health and medical history to ensure that you can safely tolerate the procedure.
Your healthcare provider will administer a topical anesthetic to your lips during the lip filler procedure. The topical anesthetic will numb your lips, ensuring the procedure is as painless as possible. Numbing creams frequently contain benzocaine, lidocaine, and tetracaine (BLT). Your lips should be numb after 15 to 30 minutes of having the injection. If you have a BLT allergy, your health provider may use a nerve block injection to numb your lips.
Once the desired amount of lip filler has been determined, your healthcare professional will use a small needle to inject it into your lips, vermillion border, Cupid’s bow, and oral commissures (corners of your mouth). There shouldn’t be any pain, but you may get a pinching feeling, and your eyes may moisten.
On average, your healthcare professional will inject 1 milliliter (mL), or approximately one-fifth of a teaspoon, of lip filler into your lips. The needle won’t penetrate your skin any deeper than 2.5 millimeters (mm). To reduce swelling and bruising, your healthcare professional may apply an ice pack to your lips throughout the treatment.
Types of Lip Fillers
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has authorized four kinds of dermal fillers:
- Hyaluronic acid (HA)
- Calcium hydroxylapatite
- Poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA)
- Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) beads suspended in bovine collagen
What Happens After a Lip Filler Procedure?
Following the procedure, your healthcare practitioner may gently massage your lips to allow the filler to absorb. They may also continue to ice your lips.
Your healthcare professional will keep an eye on you for up to 15 minutes to ensure you don’t have any adverse effects like nausea, dizziness or significant bleeding. You can go home after it has been determined that you no longer require monitoring. Since a local anesthetic will not leave you weary or drowsy, you will be able to drive yourself home. You should, however, have a family member or friend drive you home just in case.
Swollen, sensitive, and bruised lips are possible. Swelling typically subsides within 24 to 48 hours, although it could last up to a week.
Your healthcare provider will also arrange a follow-up visit around two weeks following the treatment to check on the progress of your lips. They may take a photo for your medical records so you can examine how your lips appeared before and after the operation.
The following tips will assist the healing process:
- Apply an ice pack to the affected area for up to 10 minutes to relieve inflammation, pain, and swelling.
- Avoid using lip balm, lipstick or any other product on your lips for at least 24 hours
- Avoid touching or puckering your lips, including kissing and drinking via a straw.
- Brush your teeth with caution.
- Drink lots of water.
- Do not exercise for at least 24 hours
Possible Lip Filler Side Effects
Side effects of lip fillers can occur within hours, days, or weeks after receiving the injections. According to the FDA, they usually go away after a few days, although they might appear weeks, months, or years later.
These side effects include:
- Bruising
- Itching
- Swelling
- Pain and soreness
- Redness
- Rash
People may experience more serious complications in specific circumstances. In these instances, you should consult a medical practitioner.\
How Long Does it Take For Lips to Heal?
If you do experience any pain, this should subside within 12 to 24 hours. Your swelling should disappear within 24 to 48 hours, but it may take slightly longer.
If you need your lips filled for an important event like a wedding, make sure you get the procedure done at least two weeks beforehand so that you have sufficient time to heal completely.
Cosmetic Injections and Dermal Fillers Available in Franklin, Tennessee
If you have any concerns regarding cosmetic injections or would like to speak with a specialist, contact Kumar Aesthetic Services today! Our team can explain what to anticipate and provide professional advice on which treatments may be appropriate depending on your unique goals.
Call our offices to speak with a staff member, or make an appointment online now!
